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Credit & Copyright: Richard Bosman
Explanation:
Does Mars always appear the same?
No.
As both Earth and Mars orbit the Sun, the
apparent angular size
of Mars changes as viewed from the Earth.
Pictured above from
Enschede,
Holland,
Mars was captured in 2007 and 2008 with 30 separate images,
all taken with the same magnification.
When Earth and
Mars are on opposite sides of the Sun,
Mars appears relatively small.
Conversely, when Earth and Mars are near each other,
Mars looms large and bright.
The largest Mars has appeared in recent history was the
opposition of August 2003.
Since Mars is always more distant from the Earth from the Sun,
Mars never shows a crescent phase to Earthlings.
Visible also in the above images are the
north polar cap of Mars,
dark and light soil, clouds, and, in the early images, a global
dust storm.
The next opposition, when Earth again passes near to Mars, will occur in early 2010.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Mars - angular size
Publications with words: Mars - angular size
See also:
- APOD: 2025 July 15 B Collapse in Hebes Chasma on Mars
- APOD: 2025 July 6 B The Spiral North Pole of Mars
- APOD: 2025 June 29 B Dark Sand Cascades on Mars
- APOD: 2025 June 22 B A Berry Bowl of Martian Spherules
- APOD: 2025 June 15 B Two Worlds One Sun
- Perseverance Selfie with Ingenuity
- Deimos Before Sunrise